LONGEST FLIGHT WITH SPECIAL PLANE
Singapore Airlines has claimed the title of the world’s longest commercial flight with the resumption of its non-stop service between Singapore and New York using Airbus A350 jets. The airline last flew the route in 2013.
AIRBUS A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) Engines Two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 turbofans. Cruising speed: 900km/h
Winglets Reduce aerodynamic drag
Airframe Built using carbon fibre composites to reduce weight and so burn less fuel
Fuel Extra 24,000 litres-carried — 17 per cent more than standard long-haul A350-900 — due to modified fuel system
Seats 161 (92 fewer seats than standard configuration)
Newark, US (airport serving New York) Route previously used A340 planes but was suspended due to high fuel prices
singapore — Passengers were getting ready to board the world’s longest flight on Thursday — a marathon 19 hours in the air between Singapore and New York.
Two pilots, a special “wellness” menu and more than seven weeks’ worth of film and television entertainment were expected to accompany travellers on the 16,700km (10,400-mile) journey to the Big Apple.
Singapore Airlines will use the long-range Airbus A350-900ULR, configured to carry 161 passengers — 67 in business class and 94 in premium economy, with no regular economy seats available.
For the flight crew — which also includes two first officers and a 13-strong cabin contingent — the work load will be broken up, the airline said, with each pilot having a minimum eight hours’ rest during the flight. But for passengers, the challenge will be what to do with all that down time when they’re up in the air. For those not packing a weighty novel (or two), there will be 1,200 hours of audio-visual entertainment to choose from.
Dining options will include dishes the airline says have been selected to promote well-being in the skies, with organic dishes on the menu.
The cabin has higher-than-normal ceilings, larger windows and lighting designed to reduce jet lag — all part of an effort to lessen the stresses that can accompany almost a day on a plane. “Research has shown that hydration and food intake are important factors (to consider), such as avoiding foods that cause gas or bloating as well as excessive alcohol,” Rhenu Bhuller, a healthcare expert at consultancy Frost & Sullivan, told AFP.
“The biggest concern is Deep Vein Thrombosis from a combination of sitting for too long and also from dehydration,” said Gail Cross, an associate consultant at the National University Hospital in Singapore. The twin-engine plane that will make the journey uses a modified system that burns 25 per cent less fuel than other aircraft of a similar size, Airbus said. — AFP
The flight from the city-state to Newark Airport can take up to 18 hours and 45 minutes under normal weather conditions, but the pilots will have something in reserve in an aircraft capable of flying more than 20 hours non-stop. — AFP